The Black Monk - a chamber opera in one act after Chekhov
"With a skilled hand Bailey weaves and jostles these motley ingredients into phantasmagorical instrumental interludes, perfect for reflecting turmoil and schizophrenia, scored with exuberant clarity..."
Geoff Brown, The Times

The following clips were recorded during performances at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London, in October 2003. Click here for more information about this joint production with Sirius Ensemble.

Right click and save to download or click to listen:
Man descends into madness, laughing
(39 seconds, 629KB)
Lover, alone, sings to herself for comfort
(37 seconds, 588KB)
Lover, angry at her Father, is comforted by Man
(42 seconds, 664KB)
Man remembers Lover, then gets back to work
(72 seconds, 1155KB)
Father persuades Man to marry his daughter
(46 seconds, 732KB)
Man declares his genius for the last time
(52 seconds, 816KB)

First performed in 2003, The Black Monk is Anthony's first opera. The story revolves around an intellectual man who, suffering from over-work, begins to hallucinate. In these visions, a monk veiled by a black cowl talks to the man. Reassuring him that he is a genius, the monk commands that he must never stop working for any reason, even for his health or sanity. The man marries, but his new wife discovers the illness and tries to cure it by not allowing him work. However, she cannot fight against his dark hallucinations, and only succeeds in losing him. He returns to his previous life and finally works himself to death, as the Black Monk predicted.

There are four roles in the work: Man (baritone), his Lover (soprano), her Father (baritone), and the Vision (bass). The singers are accompanied by a chamber ensemble of 15 players: one each of flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, all doubling on their auxiliary instruments, plus trumpet, trombone, horn and string quintet with piano and two percussionists.

Anthony's spnm shortlisted work, his Chamber Symphony for 15 players, was written at the same time as The Black Monk. It joins together many of the opera's extraordinary instrumental interludes in a four-part symphonic structure.

Copies of The Black Monk are available as a complete score, and a recording is available on 2 CDs. Email ant@antbailey.com or visit the contact page to request a copy.

composing

list of works

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opera
ensemble
chamber
solo
voice
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Cast of first performance
Man:
William Berger
Lover:
Jenny Ohlsen
Father:
Christopher Dixon
Vision:
Rodney Clarke

Sirius Ensemble
Music Director:
Daniel Capps